Jalal-al-Din Khalji

Jalal-al-Din Khalji (1234-19 July 1296) was Sultan of the Delhi Sultanate from 13 June 1290 to 19 July 1296, succeeding Shamsuddin Kayumars and preceding Alauddin Khalji. Khalji overthrew the Mamluk dynasty and founded the Khalji dynasty, which would become one of the most powerful of the Delhi dynasties.

Biography
Jalal-al-Din Khalji was born in Kara, India in 1234 to a family of ethnic Turks. He started his career as an officer in the Mamluk army, and he rose to an important position under Sultan Muiz-ud-Din Qaiqabad. After Qaiqabad was paralyzed, a group of nobles appointed his son Shamsuddin Kayumars as the new Sultan, and the nobles attempted to have Jalal-al-Din murdered. Instead, Jalal-al-Din had the nobles murdered and took the title of regent, deposing the Kayumars a few months later and becoming the first ruler of the Khalji dynasty. As Sultan, he repulsed a Mongol invasion, and he allowed for many Mongols to settle in India after their conversion to Islam. He captured Mandawar and Jhain from King Hammiradeva, although he failed to capture his capital of Ranthambore. During his reign, his nephew Alauddin Khalji raided Bhilsa in 1293 and Devagiri in 1296. His nobles considered him to be a weak ruler due to his leniency shown towards rebels, leading to his own nephew Alauddin assassinating him in 1296 and seizing the throne for himself.